A unique band of five gynecologic oncology surgeons from across the country, N.E.D. is taking healing and the arts to a new level. Created as a cover band to entertain their peers at a medical conference, they saw the potential to reach women in a powerful way – through music. What was started as a novelty meant to entertain, has turned into a powerful awareness movement to give a voice to women effected by gynecologic cancers.

N.E.D. or ‘No Evidence of Disease’, are the words every cancer patient wants to hear. The cornerstone of N.E.D.’s Mission is education and awareness. They have released two albums of original music, that have received critical acclaim. Their songs are designed to empower women, give them hope and to break the silence surrounding gynecologic cancers.

John Boggess, M.D. — Vocals, Guitar

Dr. Boggess is a world renowned surgeon & Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Fellowship Program Director, Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
“It’s not so much that we’re trying to cure cancer with this effort… I think even if you can’t cure the problem, if people feel connected and understood they sure feel a lot stronger and a lot better supported.”

Robert Burger, M.D. — Bass

Dr. Burger is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Director of Clinical Research and Fellowship Training Program, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, at the University of Pennsylvania.
“Music, laughter and compassion go hand in hand with medicine and surgery in the care of our patients.”

Gizelka David-West, M.D. - Vocals

Dr. David-West is a gynecologic oncologist at Westchester Medical Center and an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Medical College. “Our patients give up so much of themselves as their cancer journey begins. What I hope to do with our cause is give them back pieces of themselves through the healing art of music.”

Nimesh Nagarsheth, M.D. — Drums, Percussion

Dr. Nagarsheth is on faculty at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood, New Jersey.
“You can learn a lot from patients with cancer. And they see the world in a way that’s much different from the way that someone else sees the world.”

William Winter, M.D. — Guitar

Dr. Winter is a gynecologic oncologist at Compass Oncology in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon.
“Medicine is not all science. Medicine is an art, surgery is an art. Taking care of a cancer patient is an art. There is a lot of art in medicine, as well as music, so I think it really parallels in terms of what I do in the operating room.”

Joanie Hope, M.D. — Former Vocals, Guitar

Dr. Hope is a Gynecologic Oncologist at Alaska Women's Cancer Care in Anchorage, Alaska. She is also Director of GynOncology at Providence Alaska Cancer Center.
“I’m hoping it makes them feel good and relaxed and hopeful and brings a smile to their face and makes them feel like there’s something bigger going on here.”

William "Rusty" Robinson, M.D. — Former Bass, Harmonica

Dr. Robinson is a Professor of Gynecologic Oncology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Robinson left N.E.D. in 2016. “The biggest message is the fact that gynecologic oncology exists.”

John Soper, M.D. — Former Guitar

Dr. Soper is the Hendricks Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
“We want to make a noise. There’s been a wall of silence around it and hopefully we can, we can bring some noise to that so that we’re heard and so that our patients are heard.”

Ovarian Cancer Awareness: A Declining Disease Rate, And Looking Ahead to New DrugsNED, A Vibrant Band Of Doctors Rocking For Women With Cancer

N.E.D. is a doctor’s old shorthand for remission. It’s also the name of a rock band that’s breaking the silence surrounding gynecological cancers, conditions that some women still hesitate to mention: cancer of the cervix, ovary, uterus, vagina and vulva.

No Evidence of Disease is what an oncologist might say when there’s no sign of malignancy in a person who’s had cancer treatment. After a “clean” scan or a bone marrow test, it’s a phrase many patients love to hear. Or scream.

If you watch NED perform, you might appreciate this phenomenon. The band’s vibrancy is driven in part by its unusual relationship with the audience. The musicians are all board-certified specialists in women’s cancers. Many of their followers, or Nedheads, have been affected by cancer. When the doctors get on stage, people smile and start dancing. When it’s time for an encore, you can hear old women shouting “NED! NED! NED!”

N.E.D. is a doctor’s old shorthand for remission. It’s also the name of a rock band that’s breaking the silence surrounding gynecological cancers, conditions that some women still hesitate to mention: cancer of the cervix, ovary, uterus, vagina and vulva.

No Evidence of Disease is what an oncologist might say when there’s no sign of malignancy in a person who’s had cancer treatment. After a “clean” scan or a bone marrow test, it’s a phrase many patients love to hear. Or scream.

If you watch NED perform, you might appreciate this phenomenon. The band’s vibrancy is driven in part by its unusual relationship with the audience. The musicians are all board-certified specialists in women’s cancers. Many of their followers, or Nedheads, have been affected by cancer. When the doctors get on stage, people smile and start dancing. When it’s time for an encore, you can hear old women shouting “NED! NED! NED!”

The vocalist begins her song with people shocked by a diagnosis they cannot accept, women not yet ready to admit they have cancer.

Starts with denial, there must be some mistake;
Check the name, check the lab, double-check the date.

While electric guitars and percussion join in, the lyrics of the song,“Third-Person Reality,” go on to describe turbulent anger, tension and fear that can only be eased by acceptance.

Measure success one day at a time
Together we’ll get to a better place
If you place your hand in mine.

The symbol of women with cervical, endometrial, ovarian, peritoneal, tubal, vaginal, and vulvar cancers— a teal ribbon—often goes unrecognized, but these patients do have their own rock band. Through the driving rhythms of folk-rock, the band members of N.E.D. accompany a refrain made especially meaningful by the fact that they are all surgeons who treat patients with gynecological cancers. The group started as a cover band to entertain doctors at a 2008 meeting of the Society of Gynecological Oncologists. Since then they have taken on a mission “to break through the silence of women’s gynecological cancer.” In the process, they have produced two albums to raise awareness and money for research.

N.E.D. band making waves while bringing attention to breast, gynecological cancers

The words medicine and music seem worlds away from one another. However, there is a group of medical doctors who are bridging the gap between science and art in hopes of raising awareness to a cause — women’s breast and gynecological cancers. The rock band N.E.D. (No Evidence of Disease) is a group of six GYN doctors.

“We met at an annual meeting of women’s cancers,” N.E.D. drummer/ percussionist and Director of Gynecological Oncology and Associate Director of Robotic Surgery at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center Nimesh P. Nagarsheth said. “In between these academic sessions, music equipment was put on stage … for us to blow off some steam. Afterwards, we started emailing back and forth to each other and we decided to learn a few cover songs.”